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Maryan's Story - Promoting Peace in Somalia

Published: December 8, 2011

Maryam sharing what she gained from the training with the other participants. Photo by: AFSC partner/AFSC.

Photo: AFSC

Maryan

As mother [I] am grateful to AFSC for coming up with such wonderful project which changed our life from living with the fear of conflict to ambassadors of peace. We no longer afraid of conflict and our children’s future at risk because with the training we are able to identify and pinpoint some of the factors contributing to lack of peace within our community and recommend possible solutions to the same, we are also able to Identify key advocacy areas in the promotion of peace.

We formed women’s groups and youth groups where we staged various pieces of music carrying peace messages intended to be passed across. Moreover, the dramas pros were there with their piece not just entertaining people but got them reflect what they were undergoing as a result of absence of peace and the alternate solution. Thanks to Almighty Allah we are able to solve our inter-clan conflict and we are helping our neighboring communities with the knowledge we gained from the training.

From the training as peace ambassadors I learnt that, ‘the first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us”.

Who we are

AFSC is a Quaker organization devoted to service, development, and peace programs throughout the world. Our work is based on the belief in the worth of every person, and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice. Learn more

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AFSC has offices around the world. To see a complete list see the Where We Work page.